Department for Transport

European Aviation Safety Agency

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, followingthe statement by the Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to UK Transport in Europe on 5 September 2017 that the CAA was undertaking no preparatory work to assume the responsibilities of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after Brexit because “it would be misleading to suggest that’s a viable option”, what alternatives to EASA participationthey are considering.

baroness sugg: The Government and CAA have been clear that the preference is to remain a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). However, as a responsible regulator, the CAA continues to undertake a significant amount of preparatory work for all potential outcomes of the Brexit negotiations. This includes a scenario that would see the CAA taking on EASA’s responsibilities. If membership of EASA is not achievable, then the CAA would adopt the existing EASA regulatory system, rather than develop a new framework from scratch. This will deliver a continuity of service in safety regulation.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Palestinians

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last made representations to the government of Israel about arrests, treatment in custody, detentions, and trials of young Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem; and what was the result of those representations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities about the situation for Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. The Minister for the Middle East most recently raised this matter with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 27 February. We have also offered to arrange expert-to-expert discussions focussed on addressing the sensitive issue of children in detention with the Israeli Government. This offer remains in place and we hope Israel will take us up on it.

Israel: Palestinians

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to discuss with the government of Israel ways of preventing violations of the human rights of young people in the Occupied Territories, with full consideration as to the best interests of the child, reduced plea bargaining, suspended and community sentences, the use of civilian judges or magistrates, the improvement of court translation services, and the introduction of restorative justice.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Government of Israel, including the situation for young people. We funded and facilitated the independent report ‘Children in Military Custody’ by leading British lawyers and have urged Israel to implement the recommendations made in the report. British Ministers and our Ambassador in Tel Aviv have spoken and written to both the Israeli Justice Minister and the Israeli Attorney General to urge Israel to take action on the report. Specifically, we advocate the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations of minors, a reduction in the use of single hand ties, alternatives to night arrests and for the Israeli authorities to inform detainees more consistently of their legal rights. We are also concerned by the continued transfer of Palestinian child and adult detainees to prisons inside Israel in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Oman: Foreign Relations

lord northbrook: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase domestic and foreign policy cooperation between the UK and the Sultanate of Oman.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK and Oman enjoy a broad and exceptionally close relationship. Oman is a longstanding friend and ally in the Gulf, with shared interests across diplomatic, economic , defence and security matters. We are working more closely than ever across a number of fields including on economic, defence and counter-terrorism matters. Later this year, Exercise Saif Sareea 3 will take place in Oman – the largest UK-Omani military exercise for 16 years. Oman is also an important partner in regional affairs. My Rt Hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary (the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Mr Johnson) has visited Oman twice in the last four months to underline our commitment to the bilateral relationship and to take forward our regional cooperation.

Attorney General

Shareholders: Russia

baroness falkner of margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of any action by the Serious Fraud Office against major Russian shareholders of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

lord keen of elie: As and when criminal allegations are brought to the attention of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) they are assessed in the context of the SFO's statutory remit to investigate, and where appropriate, prosecute the top tier of serious or complex fraud, bribery and corruption cases, particularly where such offending is capable of impacting on the UK's and City of London's reputation as a safe place to do business. If appropriate, any relevant matters would be considered for criminal or civil investigation/recovery. However, in line with its normal policy, which is designed to safeguard the investigative process, the SFO can neither confirm nor deny whether or not it is taking some type of action against any Russian shareholders. Whenever it is possible to release information without prejudice to an investigation the SFO will publish details on its website of cases formally adopted for criminal investigation.

Department of Health and Social Care

Food: Safety

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to remain a member of the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed; and what discussions they have had to ensure that food safety is not compromised on the day the UK departs the EU.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is negotiating our exit from the European Union, and our new relationship with the EU should aim for the freest possible trade in goods and services between the United Kingdom and the EU.The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed enables the management of food and feed safety risks, providing early alerts of health or food contamination issues across the EU. At present this enables the UK to respond quickly to serious risks to public health relating to food and animal feed. The Government is considering potential membership of the EU Rapid Alert System for food and feed as part of a range of options for the management of notification of food and feed safety risks once we have left the EU.Leaving the EU will not change the Food Standard Agency’s (FSA) top priority, which is to ensure that UK food remains safe and is what it says it is. The FSA is already working hard to ensure that the high standard of food safety and consumer protection we enjoy in this country is maintained when the UK leaves the European Union.There are several vital food safety functions currently undertaken in the EU that will need to be undertaken in the UK after EU exit. For example, the food safety risk management decisions that are currently managed in Europe, and setting risk-based standards and controls to make sure that food remains safe, whether imported or produced here. The FSA has a critical role in meeting these new requirements.

Food: Safety

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guarantees they have given to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that (1) the FSA will have the resources to audit the performance of local authority enforcements officers, and(2) local authorities will have the resources to adequately inspect private commercial third party assurance providers on food safety, as proposed in the FSA report,Regulating our Future.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government has not given any guarantees regarding the resources of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) beyond the settlement for the current spending period. Within that settlement and for future budgets it is incumbent upon the FSA to decide how to allocate its resources to ensure that it has effective oversight of local authority performance. Under the FSA’s Regulating Our Future plans, local authorities will not be required to inspect private third party commercial assurance providers, instead the FSA will set the standards that all regulated private assurance providers will have to meet, not just third party assurance providers. The food industry will be required to demonstrate to the FSA that the assurance meets these standards and in addition the FSA will be putting robust arrangements in place to verify that the sources of assurance meet the standards on an ongoing basis.

Food: Safety

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EU to ensure that the new food safety assurance systems proposed by the Food Standards Agency, and based on private sector oversight, will not jeopardise access to EU markets in the future.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government has not conducted any formal discussions with European Union representatives regarding the Food Standards Agency (FSA) strategic regulatory transformation programme, Regulating Our Future (ROF). The UK Government continues to engage with the FSA in the delivery and implementation of its ROF programme. The FSA uses an open policy-making approach. This means that it will continue to share thinking, ideas and concepts related to the delivery and implementation of the ROF programme with UK Ministers and wider stakeholders before any policy options are agreed through a formal consultation process. The UK Government will need to be assured as the UK prepares to leave the EU, that there remains a robust and effective regulatory regime for maintaining the safety and authenticity of food for the benefit of UK consumers and the UK food industry. Leaving the EU will change patterns of food production, trade and consumption, emphasising the need for a modern, robust and responsive regulatory system. The timeline for implementation of the FSA’s strategic ROF programme is aligned with that of EU Exit and changes are being designed to support the process of exiting the EU. The FSA is clear that any changes made to the delivery model prior to or around the time of EU Exit will strengthen the current regime and at no point will ROF propose changes that could cause difficulties for food business operators wishing to export food post-EU Exit.

Food: Safety

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what access consumers will have to food safety data collected by food companies and third party contractors and submitted to the Food Standards Agency.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is at a very early stage in developing the arrangements for the use of regulated private assurance within the delivery model. The details regarding what industry data will be required and how this will be accessed are still to be worked out. The FSA believes that the interests of the consumer will be best served by a regulatory regime in which food businesses feel confident to share data with the FSA in confidence, rather than by the routine publication of all and any data available. There is a balance to be struck between the FSA’s commitment to transparency with regards to data, and considerations of commercial confidentiality. If the industry is confident that the FSA will not put commercially confidential information into the public domain then it is more likely it will be willing to share its relevant assurance data with the FSA and local authorities. However, if the FSA were to be given information that suggested public health was at risk, it would make this available notwithstanding any considerations of commercial confidentiality.

European Food Safety Authority

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had in regard to the UK's continuing membership of the European Food Safety Authority; and when Parliament will be updatedon the progress of any such discussions.

lord o'shaughnessy: The future of the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be shaped and discussed in the forthcoming UK-European Union negotiations. UK Government Departments are currently working together to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on the UK’s relationship with the EFSA. Government Departments are considering a range of options for the future of scientific advice and risk assessment, including risk assessment to support authorisation of regulated products in the UK after exit from the EU. The Food Standard Agency's priority is to maintain the UK’s high standards of food and feed safety, and to ensure we take a risk-based, proportionate approach that prioritises the interests and protection of consumers. Parliament will be updated as and when this is required.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the decision by NHS South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group to implement contractual agreements that patients cannot receive routine elective care before 12 weeks, whether theyintend to intervene to prohibit such practices.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England has made it clear to commissioners that they should not restrict access to routine elective at any stage of a patient’s referral to treatment. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), including South West Lincolnshire CCG, should work locally with National Health Service providers to manage appointments for routine elective care, taking into account the needs of their population and in line with waiting times standards as set out in the NHS Constitution.

Contraceptives

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all (1) GPs, and (2) sexual health clinics, in England provide prescriptions for free contraception; and if not, why not.

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all (1) GPs, and (2) sexual health clinics, in England distribute free contraception; and if not, why not.

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any GPs in England (1) prescribe the oral contraceptive pill for only one month at a time, and (2) require women and girls to make GP appointments every month before receiving a repeat prescription of the pill; and if so, how many and why.

lord o'shaughnessy: The current general practitioner (GP) contract allows practices to opt out of providing contraceptive services to their registered patients. Where they do so, NHS England has responsibility for ensuring patients of those practices have access to such services.All prescribed contraception in England is provided free of charge to the user. Therefore, 100% of girls under 18 and women who are prescribed contraception in England will receive this for free. Those GP practices who have not opted out of providing contraceptive services and sexual health clinics may also distribute free contraception.Information on the frequency with which the oral contraceptive pill is prescribed, and whether GP appointments are required is not collected centrally. Such decisions are a clinical decision of the GP concerned taking into account the individual circumstances of each patient.

Flour: Folic Acid

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of abortions resulting from foetal abnormalities that would be averted if folic acid were added to flour; what is that number as a percentage of all abortions resulting from foetal abnormalities; whether they intend to require that folic acid be added to flour; and if not, why not.

lord o'shaughnessy: In 2016, 13% of abortions under Ground E (foetal abnormalities) have a primary diagnosis of anencephaly, encephalocele or spina bifida. It is not possible to conclude how many abortions would be averted if folic acid were added to flour as information on the dietary habits and folate status of the women concerned is not known. Ministers are considering the call to fortify bread and flour with folic acid and will make a decision in due course.

Contraceptives

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the percentage of (1) girls under 18, and (2) women, who obtain contraception in England, who do so for free.

lord o'shaughnessy: All prescribed contraception is free of charge for the user. Therefore, 100% of girls under 18 and women who are prescribed contraception in England will receive this for free.Data published by NHS Digital show that during 2016/17, 871,000 females contacted sexual and reproductive health services on one or more occasions for contraception. A further 8.62 million prescriptions for contraception where issued in the community, the vast majority from general practice.

Surgery: Waiting Lists

baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of minimum waiting times on patients awaiting surgical procedures in (1) the South West Lincolnshire CCG area, and (2) England.

lord o'shaughnessy: No such assessment has been made.How trusts schedule surgical procedures is for local determination but national guidance and support is available from NHS England and NHS Improvement to support trusts to meet maximum waiting times standards. Clinical priority is the main determinant of when patients should be treated followed by the chronological order of when they were added to the waiting list.

Healthy New Towns Programme

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of NHS England's Healthy New Towns 10 pilot sites programme.

lord o'shaughnessy: The spending on NHS England’s Healthy New Towns 10 demonstrator sites, including support from external partners to produce an end of programme guidance document, is shown in the following table. YearAmount (to nearest thousand)2016-17£1,597,0002017-18£2,255,0002018-19 (Final year planned budget)£2,345,000

Opiates

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to require GPs to carry out an annual check on all patients who have been prescribed opioids for chronic pain.

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a helpline for any patients who have been prescribed opioids to seek advice.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has no plans to introduce a requirement for general practitioners (GPs) to carry out an annual health check on all patients who have been prescribed opioids for chronic pain or to introduce a helpline. People who have any concerns or questions about a prescribed opioid drug they are taking should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a GP or pharmacist). Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service.

Cancer

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the cancer dashboard includes tumour-specific data for ovarian and other less common cancers; and if not, whetherthey plan to include that data in the future.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England and NHS England developed the first iteration of the cancer dashboard in response to recommendations in the Independent Cancer Taskforce report Achieving world-class cancer outcomes: a strategy for England 2015-2020. A copy of the report is attached. This includes data on breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers. Further cancer sites (including ovarian cancer) were not included because of the risk of making patients identifiable when viewing data for individual hospitals or clinical commissioning groups.A second iteration of the dashboard is being considered by the National Cancer Transformation Board with a wider ambition to include rarer cancers and cancers with a lower incidence as the dashboard develops.



Achieving world class cancer outcomes
(PDF Document, 4.91 MB)

Epilepsy

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.

lord o'shaughnessy: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) set out best practice guidance for clinicians in Epilepsies: diagnosis and management. Updated guidance was issued in 2016 and covers assessment, referral, diagnosis, treatment and management of epilepsy and seizures in children, young people and adults in primary and secondary care. It offers best practice advice on managing epilepsy to improve health outcomes so that people with epilepsy can fully participate in daily life. A copy of the updated 2016 guideline is attached.The NICE guidance recommends that people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist.



Epilepsies: diagnosis and management
(PDF Document, 358.9 KB)

NHS: Staff

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases of staff providing fraudulent qualifications have been detectedin the NHS over the last three years.

lord o'shaughnessy: Data on the number of cases of staff providing fraudulent qualifications detected in the National Health Service over the last three years is collected by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority. The information is shown in the following table.Financial yearNumber of cases2015 - 16142016 - 17152017 - 182

NHS: Staff

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirement there is to check the validity of staff qualifications in the NHS.

lord o'shaughnessy: Employers are responsible for undertaking proportionate and appropriate checks when validating qualifications.The NHS Employment Check Standards issued by NHS Employers outline six primary checks that National Health Service organisations must adhere to as part of normal recruitment practice. The standards are subject to periodic review to ensure they remain accurate and fit for purpose. The six primary checks are:- Identity checks;- Professional registration and qualification checks;- Employment history and reference checks;- Right to work checks;- Work health assessments; and- Criminal record checks.

NHS: Pay

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 21 March (HL Deb, col 345), what plans they have to ensure that NHS staff in Northern Ireland are properly rewarded.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has long recognised the vital role that all public sectors workers play in our society including those in the National Health Service. That is why we have agreed to NHS Employers and the NHS Trade Unions going out to consultation on a three year pay agreement for NHS staff employed under the Agenda for Change Pay Agreement.This agreement covers over a million staff employed in the NHS in England and is a good example of where public sector employers and Unions can work together to agree a pay rise in return for wider reform. The three year deal targets recruitment, retention and capacity issues and will help to improve productivity within the NHS to support staff and help them meet demand.However, public sector pay in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. The Northern Ireland Administration will receive Barnett Consequentials on the additional funding provided to the Department if, following union ballots the deal now under consultation is implemented. Then that will mean over £25 million in 2018/19 and over £130 million in total over the next years from 18/19 to 2020/21.The Government is continuing to work towards the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland and in the absence of Executive it will be for the Northern Ireland Administration to allocate this funding in the absence of a functioning Executive.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional documentation they will publish to accompany the final Brexit agreement.

lord callanan: Once the negotiations have concluded, the Government has committed to give Parliament a vote on the final deal. When the time comes for the vote to be held, the Government will put the appropriate analysis before both Houses to ensure that they are appropriately informed. In addition to this, as outlined in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, any treaty laid before Parliament must be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum.

Brexit

lord beith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what matters they intend to be covered by regulations made under paragraph 1(2)(b) of Schedule 1 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill; andwhether they will publish draft regulations under that paragraph so as to assist the House during consideration of the Bill at Report Stage.

lord callanan: The right to declare an EU instrument invalid is something that can currently only be done by the Court of Justice of the European Union. In general, the Government considers that it does not make sense to create, for our domestic courts, an entirely new jurisdiction in which they are required to take on this function from the CJEU and consider, for example, questions around whether the relevant EU institution misused its powers or complied with the applicable procedural requirements. However, we recognise, for example, that in some circumstances, individuals and businesses may be individually affected by an EU instrument. For instance, a decision of an EU institution or body may be addressed directly to an individual or business. This power could be used to enable a right of challenge in domestic law to the validity of retained EU law in such circumstances. This could include provision enabling a challenge which would have been against an EU institution to proceed against a relevant UK public authority instead. We want to take the time to get this right and we will consider carefully the circumstances where it would be appropriate to enable challenges to be available in domestic law, and the best way of enabling those challenges to proceed. The Government is not planning to publish any draft regulations at Report Stage, but we are keen to listen to and take into account the views of Parliament on this important issue.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their priorities in the forthcoming negotiations in Brussels on a legally binding fallback plan to keep Northern Ireland in a common regulatory area with the EU.

lord callanan: The Prime Minister reaffirmed her commitments to the Northern Ireland and Ireland border in her speech at Mansion House, recognising the unique circumstances in Northern Ireland, and our shared commitments to avoiding a hard border. We have always been clear from the outset that the best way to achieve this is through the overall relationship between the UK and the EU. As the Prime Minister set out in her letter to Donald Tusk, we have agreed that, at least, the so-called ‘backstop’ option should be translated in legally binding form in to the Withdrawal Agreement. There are some aspects of the Commission’s proposals which we agree with - particularly the preservation of the Common Travel Area. The Prime Minister has made our position on the other elements of the draft text clear, and said that we could never accept this. There is agreement that the scope of the issues covered by the draft Protocol - focusing on goods and agriculture - reflects the right set of issues. Following March European Council, the UK and EU negotiating teams are now engaged in an intensive round of discussions to negotiate in detail on all the issues and scenarios set out in the Joint Report.

Gibraltar: Brexit

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they plan to introduce to deal with the border between Gibraltar and Spainfollowing the UK’s departure from the EU;and what negotiations have taken place with (1) the EU, and (2) Gibraltar, regarding those new arrangements.

lord callanan: The UK Government is negotiating on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar. We are clear that Gibraltar is covered by our exit negotiations, including the agreements reached on citizens’ rights and an implementation period in December and March. The agreement on citizens’ rights protects cross-border passage for Gibraltarians and EU nationals. Her Majesty’s Government is committed to fully involving the Government of Gibraltar as we negotiate our departure from the EU, to ensure their priorities are properly taken into account including the functioning of the border. And that is exactly what we are doing through the UK-Gibraltar Joint Ministerial Council (Gibraltar EU Negotiations), which was chaired most recently by Minister Robin Walker on 8 March.

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to issue clear guidance on the rights of British nationals living in the EU after Brexit.

lord callanan: There is a dedicated page on the GOV.UK website, UK nationals in the EU: Essential Information. This page is regularly updated and provides the latest information and guidance on how the UK’s exit from the EU might impact on UK nationals living in the EU. The page also includes detail of the citizens’ rights agreement, which will provide UK nationals with more certainty about residence, healthcare, pensions and other benefits.The Government is also using other communication channels to engage with UK nationals in the EU, reaching out to UK nationals at meetings, events and online. Ministers from the Department for Exiting the European Union have met delegates from groups representing UK nationals in the EU, to hear their concerns. Embassies and Ambassadors have also engaged extensively with their communities in country.

Department for Education

School Exclusions Review

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the terms of reference for the Timpson Review on the rising number of exclusions in schools have been set; and if so, what they are.

lord agnew of oulton: The government has announced an externally led review of exclusions which will be led by the former Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, Edward Timpson. The review will consider how schools use exclusion and how this affects all pupils, but in particular why some groups of children are more likely to be excluded from school. This includes pupils from certain ethnic groups; pupils who are eligible for free school meals, or have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years; pupils with special educational needs; looked after children; and children in need. The terms of reference for the exclusions review is attached.



Terms of reference for the exclusions review
(PDF Document, 107.44 KB)

School Exclusions Review

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Timpson Review will (1) clarify the numbers of children being excluded because of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and (2) identify what help is being given tosuch childrenand their families in schools that do not exclude them.

lord agnew of oulton: Exclusions can only be issued for disciplinary reasons. It is unlawful to exclude for a non-disciplinary reason. For example, it would be unlawful to exclude a pupil simply because they have additional needs or a disability that the school feels it is unable to meet. The annual data on exclusions includes the numbers of children excluded for disciplinary reasons by type of special educational need, including those with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2015-to-2016. The exclusions review will explore exclusions practice and implications for pupil groups disproportionately represented in the national statistics. The review considers how schools use exclusion and how this impacts on all pupils. In particular, it will consider why some groups of children are more likely to be excluded from school. It will also seek to identify best practice which can be shared across the system.

Pupil Exclusions

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what personal data of children who are excluded is routinely collected in regard to their home backgrounds; andin particular, whether those childrenlive with both parents, and what other close relationships with adults they have.

lord agnew of oulton: Information on excluded pupils is collected from schools via the school census data collection. The department does not routinely collect information about a child’s living arrangements, nor does it collect information on a child’s relationship with their parents or other adults.The department does collect the home address and certain other characteristic information that will provide some insight into the home background of individual children. This includes information concerning: whether the pupil would be eligible for free school meals or other funding streams (including early years pupil premium and disability access fund); whether the pupil is a service child; and whether the pupil has left care in England and Wales through either adoption, a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangement order.A robust approvals panel and other controls are in place to ensure that our data is safely guarded and used only in legal, secure and ethical ways.

Special Educational Needs

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are in special schools primarily because of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have a statement of special educational needsor an education health and care plan primarily because of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

lord agnew of oulton: The department publishes the number and proportion of pupils with special educational needs, including the type of need and type of school in the annual ‘Special educational needs in England’ statistical release, which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-special-educational-needs-sen. The type of need ‘Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulties’ was removed in 2015 and ‘Social Emotional and Mental Health’ was added as a new type of need. Under the new categorisation, 13,493 children were in Special Schools as of the department’s last statistical release, in 2017. This new category is not expected to be treated as a direct replacement, therefore direct comparison is not advised. We have launched a review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review will consider how schools use exclusion and how this impacts on all pupils, but in particular why some groups of children (including those with special education needs) are more likely to be excluded from school. Views and evidence can be submitted via the call for evidence which is open until 6 May.We have also set out our vision for transforming the education provided to those who would not otherwise receive it, including because they have been excluded from school. ‘Creating opportunity for all: our vision for alternative provision’, which is attached, sets out our plans to ensure that children in alternative provision receive consistently high-quality education so that they can achieve their potential, and is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creating-opportunity-for-all-our-vision-for-alternative-provision.



Creating opportunity for all
(PDF Document, 318.19 KB)

Outdoor Education

baroness grey-thompson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase (1) the number of opportunities for children to be active outdoors during the school day, and (2) the range of activities available to them when outdoors; and whether such plans include the introduction of active mile schemes.

lord agnew of oulton: Through the primary PE and sport premium, over £600 million of ring-fenced funding has been invested in primary schools to improve PE and sport since 2013. The government doubled the premium to £320 million per year from September 2017, using revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. The premium should be used to develop or add to the PE and sport activities that a school already offers to provide more opportunities for their pupils to be active throughout the school day.We know that schools across the country have signed up to an active mile programme. The Daily Mile’s website reports that over 900 schools in England are signed up to The Daily Mile. Active Miles can help pupils to achieve the 60 active minutes each day recommended by the UK chief medical officers. They are simple, inclusive and can successfully engage the least active children in physical activity. In December 2017, the department brought together active mile providers to discuss opportunities to engage more schools to take part in active mile initiatives Sport England supports children and young people in England by ensuring there is a good sports and activity offer before and after the school day. This includes investing £28 million into Satellite Clubs between 2017-2021. Satellite Clubs provide opportunities to take part regularly in sport and activity through the creation of enjoyable, appealing and convenient opportunities for young people that are based around their needs. The government also continues to invest around £17.5 million per annum in the School Games, an Olympic/Paralympic style competition, so that all children and young people, particularly those who are currently least active or from under-represented groups, have the best opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity. Inclusive sports formats are included to provide opportunities for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs to participate.

Special Educational Needs

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that some schools are encouraging families to home school children with complex difficulties, possibly with an eye to those schools' performance statistics; and what plans they have to ensure that such children benefit from the support of the proposed mental health support teams.

lord agnew of oulton: The department shares concerns that some children are potentially being educated at home as a result of pressure by schools. However, it is not in a position to confirm how far these concerns are justified by actual cases. A pupil’s name can only lawfully be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in Regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended. Schools should not seek to persuade parents to educate their children at home as a way of excluding the pupil or because the pupil has a poor attendance record. It is unlawful to permanently exclude a pupil from a school other than for disciplinary reasons. Schools may not exclude pupils because of their academic attainment or ability, or because they cannot meet their needs. Sending a pupil home without recording it as an exclusion is also not permitted. Parents have a duty to ensure their child of compulsory school age receives a suitable full-time education but this does not have to be at a school. On receipt of written notification from a parent to home educate their child, the school must inform the pupil’s local authority that the pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register. We will test how the new mental health support teams proposed in the green paper ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision’ can provide support to all children in an area, including those not at school.

Apprentices: Finance

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the increase in funds available for the apprenticeship scheme will increase the number of apprenticeships.

lord agnew of oulton: Since 2015, we have seen over 1.2 million starts. Our investment in apprenticeships is set to grow from £1.54 billion in 2015-16 to £2.45 billion by 2019-20. Following the recent procurement exercise to deliver apprenticeship training to non-levy paying employers, the government awarded initial funding totalling £490 million for provision between January 2018 and April 2019. In the Spring Statement, it was announced that up to £80 million of additional funding will be available for providers who were successful in this procurement. This will be released from April 2018, in response to emerging employer demand. By making this funding available, we are giving further confidence to smaller employers and their training providers to invest in apprenticeships, providing the skills that employers need and more apprenticeship opportunities for people of all ages and from all backgrounds.

Universities: Freedom of Expression

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Office for Students concerning the upholding of laws on freedom of speech following the postponement by King's College London (KCL) of a planned lecture on 16 March on freedom of speech by Dr Adam Perkins to the KCL Libertarian Society.

viscount younger of leckie: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State issued guidance to the Office for Students (OfS) on 20 February 2018, which sets out the expectation that the OfS will champion and promote freedom of speech, as well as working with providers to challenge and call out attempts to shut down or ‘no platform’ speakers.My hon. Friend, the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation has also announced that he will be holding a free speech summit to discuss issues around free speech on campuses and is working with the OfS on this.

Ministry of Justice

Cremation

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimatethey have made of the number of local councils, if any,refusing to give ashes to families after public health funerals; and what is their response to reports of such practices.

lord keen of elie: The Government has not made any such estimate. In line with the regulatory framework for cremation, ashes would normally be returned to the cremation applicant, which in the case of a public health cremation would be the local authority. However, it is open to the local authority to pass the ashes to any family or friends who come forward, and we would expect this to happen whenever possible.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they provide to victims of Northern Ireland related acts of terrorism committed in Great Britain.

lord keen of elie: The Government is committed to making sure that victims of terrorism (including bereaved families) receive the best possible support both in the immediate aftermath, and in the long term. Under the EU Victims’ Directive, victims of Northern Ireland related acts of terrorism who reside in the UK are entitled to access support services in accordance with their needs. The Government fund a range of services to provide support to help victims of terrorism cope, and as far as possible recover. We have also developed gov.uk webpages (see victimsofterrorism.campaign.gov.uk) to provide comprehensive advice to victims and to signpost them to support services in the UK. We also work closely with local authorities to highlight the support available. This support remains available to victims for as long as needed and regardless of when the attack happened.

Prison Officers: Labour Turnover

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new recruits have left the Prison Service in each of the last two years.

lord keen of elie: The number Prison Service staff who have left the service, by length of service, in the last two years is provided below.Table 1: HMPPS staff who have left the Prison Service, by length of service1, in the 12 months to December 2016 and 12 months to December 2017 Completed years of service12 months to December 201612 months to December 20170461682139731927628834059449255-952336310-1453250715-1927126620-2429020825-2926925830+167163Total3,0753,138 1Length of service in HMPPS calculated from most recent hire date. Where staff have transferred in from another Government Department or have transferred in through HMPPS taking over a function, length of service is calculated from entry to HMPPS.

Department for International Trade

Free Trade: Trade Agreements

lord livermore: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication of the documentEU Exit Analysis: Cross-Whitehall Briefing, what assessment they have made of the impact on GDP of new free trade agreements with non-EU countries after Brexit in each year between 2019 and 2033.

baroness fairhead: The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis, in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. This work is ongoing, and Ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that could reveal our negotiating position. The analysis recently published by the Commons Exiting the EU Committee, does not represent Government policy. It is an information gathering exercise, there to test ideas. The Department for International Trade (DIT) has provided a qualitative summary of existing literature, on the impacts of signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), in the Impact Assessment accompanying the Trade Bill, available here: https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA17-010.pdf DIT currently provides impact assessments to Parliament, when EU trade agreements are ratified. The Implementation Period, as agreed at the March European Council, will help to minimise unnecessary disruption for both the UK and EU and provide certainty for businesses and individuals as we move towards our future deep and special partnership with the EU. During the Implementation Period the United Kingdom will be able to negotiate, sign, and ratify new FTAs, which will come into force after the implementation period. As outlined in the White Paper “Preparing for our future trade policy”, we are committed to a transparent approach to international trade, and will ensure Parliament has an appropriate role to play in the scrutiny of new UK trade treaties.

Trade Agreements

lord livermore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 65 non-EU countries with which the UK has trade agreements through membership of the EU have guaranteed that they will continue those agreements on the same terms after Brexit.

baroness fairhead: The Government is committed to securing continuity of existing EU free trade agreements and other EU preferential arrangements as we leave the EU. We have held discussions on continuity of existing EU trade agreements with more than 70 partner countries, and all have agreed in principle to seek to ensure continuity. It is in no one’s interest to disrupt trade flows, or erect new barriers to trade.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Oxfordshire

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce changes to local government structures in Oxfordshire.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Whilst the Secretary of State is committed to consider any proposals for unitarisation or mergers where requested, his current priority in relation to the six Oxfordshire councils is ensuring that the ambition demonstrated by Oxfordshire’s housing deal - to which all six councils have now agreed – is delivered against. Accordingly he has no immediate plans to reach a judgement on the proposal to replace all six councils with a new single council, which three of the six councils have submitted.

Local Government

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of two tier local government (District and County Councils) in England.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: As to the future of two tier local government, my Rt Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, told the Other Place that whilst 60 per cent of English people are currently served by unitary authorities, we expect the number to be higher in five years' time. There will necessarily be a commensurate reduction in two tier local government.

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on high street businesses of decreasing the interval between business rate assessments.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In 2016 the Government launched a consultation to seek views on proposals to move to more frequent property revaluations for business rates. Respondents from business groups indicated that they supported reducing the period between revaluations. In the Autumn Budget 2017 the Chancellor announced that the frequency of property revaluations would increase from every 5 to every 3 years following the next revaluation. This will ensure bills more accurately reflect the properties’ current rental value and relative changes in rents. This was welcomed by the British Retail Consortium as a positive move to improve the fairness of the system. At the Spring Statement the Chancellor announced that the next revaluation will be brought forward to 2021 from 2022 to enable businesses to benefit from this change at the earliest point.

Religious Hatred: Islam

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to takefollowing reports of a letter campaign encouraging recipients to take part in a "Punish a Muslim Day" which allegedly awarded points for differently graded acts of violence against Muslims.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government condemns the content of the letters as clearly abhorrent, with no place in decent society. The letters are part of an ongoing investigation, and as such the Government is not in a position to comment further on them.We continue to liaise with the police and community stakeholders to ensure that Muslims, alongside anyone of any race or faith, feel safe to go about their lives without fear of persecution or discrimination. We support Tell MAMA to encourage reporting of anti-Muslim hatred and to produce materials to support those affected by the letters, and we have worked with the Cross-Government Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred to reinforce this.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Government

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they propose to launch their consultation into Northern Ireland legacy issues.

lord duncan of springbank: The Government’s 2017 Northern Ireland manifesto set out our intention to consult publicly on the details of how the new Stormont House Agreement legacy institutions would work in practice. The Government wants to consult soon, with the aim of building support and confidence in the new legacy institutions from across the community.

Northern Ireland Government

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what options will be included in their consultation document concerning Northern Ireland legacy issues; and whether the question of a statute of limitations will be one of the options for consideration.

lord duncan of springbank: As our Northern Ireland manifesto at the last Election made clear, the Government remains committed to the implementation of the legacy institutions in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement. In addition, our manifesto reiterated our view that any approach to the past must be consistent with the rule of law. We recognise, however, that others have different views on the best way forward, so this will be an open consultation in which all views will be welcomed and considered carefully.

Northern Ireland Government

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they, or anyone acting on their behalf, has given Sinn Fein any undertaking, written or verbal, not to include a statute of limitations in the forthcoming consultation into legacy issues affecting Northern Ireland.

lord duncan of springbank: The forthcoming consultation on implementation of the legacy institutions is still being finalised. In recent months, representations have been made to the Government, about the issue of a statute of limitations by a number of political parties and other interested groups.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Pay

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are properly remunerated for their service.

lord duncan of springbank: The UK Government will always give its fullest possible backing to the men and women of the PSNI who do such a superb job. Policing is a devolved matter. The PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland block grant, through the Policing Board. Operational policing costs are a matter for the Chief Constable.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

National Parks: South West

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the democratic accountability of (1) Exmoor National Park, and(2) Dartmoor National Park, organisations.

lord gardiner of kimble: Exmoor National Park and Dartmoor National Park are accountable through their existing systems of governance. The executives of both national park authorities are accountable to their members. Members are balanced between those from local authorities, parish councils, and those appointed by the Secretary of State following open national competition, which is governed by the Cabinet Office’s governance code on public appointments. The majority of members are local authority or parish members, who, while not directly elected to their positions as national park authority members, are elected to represent their local communities as councillors for constituent local authorities, or as parish councillors.

Fisheries: Northern Ireland

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have given to the fishing industry in Northern Ireland regarding the rights of fishermen based there to fish in the Irish Sea following Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: We place great value on our close relationship with Ireland and our shared values in relation to fisheries matters, including our strong commitment to sustainable fishing. The Government is engaging regularly with Ireland on these matters.

Department for International Development

UNRWA

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in its work and to address its current financial crisis; and what representations they have made to the government of the United States followingthat government'sdecision to withhold more than half its funding to UNRWA in 2018.

lord bates: The UK remains unequivocally committed to supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and has so far provided around £50 million in 2017/18 to help the Agency provide key services to Palestinian refugees across the region including basic education and health. On 15 March 2018 the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, announced that the UK has offered to deliver its next round of financial support earlier than originally planned, to help alleviate the pressure that UNRWA is currently facing. Minister Burt has spoken to United States (US) counterparts to discuss how best to ensure the sustainable delivery of UNRWA’s services, and UK officials are also in discussion with US representatives.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Meetings

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish examples of any communications from Government departments to representatives of industries and companies which set conditions of non-disclosure before meetings between those representatives and Her Majesty's Government.

baroness stedman-scott: Many meetings between officials and suppliers regarding commercial matters are discussions relating to a specific contract. In this case, the confidentiality of any information exchanged is governed by clauses within the specific contract.Where discussions cover topics related to more than one contract and relate to particularly sensitive matters or the exchange of commercially sensitive material those discussions may need the protection of a specific non-disclosure agreement. The Government Legal Department has recently produced a standard form of non-disclosure agreement which is recommended for use by Departments in these situations. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-disclosure-agreements

Cambridge Analytica

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether, and the extent to which, Cambridge Analytica interfered in theEU referendum campaign in the UK.

baroness stedman-scott: The Government is responsible for prescribing the rules in relation to campaigning, funding and spending at elections and referendums. It is for the Electoral Commission to regulate these rules.The Electoral Commission is an independent body and the detail of any investigations undertaken by the Electoral Commission is a matter for them.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Procurement

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the past year they have placed contracts for goods or services with suppliers in countries in which British companies are not allowed to tender for similar purposes.

baroness stedman-scott: The requested information is not held centrally. UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project, through fair and open competition and in line with our current international obligations.

Charities: Freedom of Information

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Young of Cookham on 14 September 2017 and 21 March (HL1315 and HL6165), what conclusions they have drawn from keeping the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as it relates to charities under constant review; and what plans they have to launch a formal consultation.

baroness stedman-scott: A small number of public authorities subject to the FOI Act are also registered as charities. Other charitable bodies do not meet the conditions for inclusion within Schedule 1 of the FOI Act.In 2015, the Cabinet Office established an Independent Commission to look into the workings of FOI. The Independent Commission reported in March 2016 and on the issue of charities and extension of FOI, it concluded that “the Commission had not received persuasive evidence that the Act should be extended to charities in their own right.”At present, the Government is not persuaded of the need to amend the legislation to include all charities and there are no plans to undertake further consultations at this time.

Treasury

Brexit

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to reports that industry representatives in the UK have been asked by Her Majesty's Government to sign non-disclosure agreements before meetings with HM Treasury relating to the UK's departure from the EU.

lord bates: The government believes that businesses from across the UK have an important role to play in the policymaking process. It is standard practice for the Government to use Non-Disclosure Agreements when appropriate. Non-Disclosure Agreements with industry representatives are crucial to open exchange of information on options and scenarios. They ensure that planning, negotiations and decisions are based on what is achievable and in the best interests of the UK when we leave the EU.

Foreign Companies: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of taxing the revenue fromlarge United States technology companiesoperating and investing inthe UK, and in particular, on investment by such companiesin the UK.

lord bates: The government has set out its receptiveness to exploring interim measures with like-minded countries, such as a tax on revenues, to tax certain digital businesses which generate value from UK users. Any such tax would be designed to compensate for unrecognised user-created value pending wider reform of the international corporate tax system. The effects of any such tax would depend on its scope, rate and detailed design.

Cash Dispensing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the effect of LINK’s proposed cut in ATM funding, with particular regard to theimpact on local high streets.

lord bates: The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with the regulators and industry, including LINK, to ensure that it is maintained.The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users.As part of this, the PSR is monitoring developments within ATM provision. The PSR recently commissioned work to understand the impact on the provision of free-to-use ATMs that a reduction in interchange fees may have. They have also set out three requirements of LINK: that LINK must maintain the current geographical spread of ATMs; that any changes made to interchange fees must be incremental to allow LINK to monitor the impact and take action if the impact is not as expected; and for a greater focus on LINK’s financial inclusion programme, to continue to fill gaps in the network. The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should LINK behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives. The PSR has recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found on their website.Following the publication of these three criteria, LINK committed to maintaining an extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. To do this, LINK will bolster its Financial Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in certain areas where demand would not otherwise make one viable. LINK will also protect all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest free-to-use ATM, and ensure that any community that loses ATM access because of a branch closure has a free ATM provided.Furthermore, LINK will do an annual review the impact of the interchange fee reduction as it is phased in over the next four years. In addition, LINK will set up publicly available monitoring on its website of every area of the country showing free ATM availability, and highlight any areas where free ATM availability is lost.

Sanctions: Russia

baroness falkner of margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of whether those Russians listed by the United States Treasury Department on 30 January as potentially subject to United States sanctions for illegal activity, including those identified by the Anti-Corruption Foundation for wrongdoing under the UK Bribery Act 2010, are persons connected to companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

lord bates: The Government is aware of the recent report issued by the United States Treasury Department. This report is not a sanctions list and does not impose sanctions on individuals and entities listed in it.The UK implements sanctions agreed at the UN, EU or those the Government put in place autonomously. Only a relevant prohibition contained in these sanctions will prevent a person from being connected to companies listed on the London Stock Exchange .Allegations of illegal activity under the UK Bribery Act 2010 are a matter for the operationally independent Serious Fraud Office to investigate.

National Insurance Contributions: Older People

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue they estimate would be raised if a national insurance charge of one per cent were applied to the employment, pension, savings, and rental income of those over retirement age, assuming the same national insurance allowance as for those below retirement age.

lord bates: The revenue raised from increasing Class 1 national insurance rates on employment income by 1% may be approximated using the “Direct effects of illustrative tax changes”1. This shows the yield from a change in the Class 1 employee main rate by 1 percentage point and the Class 1 employee additional rate by 1 percent point in 2018-19 through to 2020-21. (£m)2018-192019-202020-21Change Class 1 employee main rate by 1 percent point405042004300Change Class 1 employee additional rate by 1 percent point890910940Extract of the table as published at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/direct-effects-of-illustrative-tax-changes An estimate of the impact of introducing a NICs charge for those over state pension age or a surcharge for those below state pension age on rental, savings, and pensions income is not available. National Insurance is not currently payable on these income streams and therefore a number of policy design decisions would need to be taken in order to estimate how much would be raised from introducing such a charge.

National Insurance Contributions

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue they estimate would be raised if a national insurance surcharge of one per cent were applied to the employment, rental, savings, and pensions income of those below retirement age.

lord bates: The revenue raised from increasing Class 1 national insurance rates on employment income by 1% may be approximated using the “Direct effects of illustrative tax changes”1. This shows the yield from a change in the Class 1 employee main rate by 1 percentage point and the Class 1 employee additional rate by 1 percent point in 2018-19 through to 2020-21. (£m)2018-192019-202020-21Change Class 1 employee main rate by 1 percent point405042004300Change Class 1 employee additional rate by 1 percent point890910940Extract of the table as published at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/direct-effects-of-illustrative-tax-changes An estimate of the impact of introducing a NICs charge for those over state pension age or a surcharge for those below state pension age on rental, savings, and pensions income is not available. National Insurance is not currently payable on these income streams and therefore a number of policy design decisions would need to be taken in order to estimate how much would be raised from introducing such a charge.

Taxation

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost to the UK economy of the universal application of the Common Reporting Standards and consequent obligations on individuals, entities and controlling persons to complete tax residency self-certification forms, including for multiple institutions.

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the costs to (1) banks, (2) insurance companies, (3) charities, and (4) other financial institutions, of the universal application of the Common Reporting Standards and consequent obligations on individuals, entities and controlling persons to complete tax residency self-certification forms, including for multiple institutions.

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of tax residency self-certification forms completed by (1) individuals, (2) entities, and (3) controlling persons, since the introduction in the UK of the Common Reporting Standards; and how many such forms they estimate will be completed annually in future.

lord bates: The estimated economic impact of implementing the Common Reporting Standard and the estimated costs to business were set out in a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published on 18 March 2015. Tax residency self-certification forms are requested by financial institutions to help determine whether account holders are reportable under the CRS. The Government has not estimated the number of tax residency self-certification forms that have been completed or will be completed annually in future.

Financial Services: UK Trade with EU

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they have learned from theTransatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations between the EU and the United States with regard to the United States Treasury's difficulties over freeing up barriers in the financial services sector.

lord bates: The European Commission has exclusive competence for common commercial policy and negotiates external trade policy, including on financial services, on behalf of Member States. While the European Commission and the United States discussed financial services in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, the experience of those negotiations is specific to the trading partners concerned and the position of the United States at that time. The EU proposed to use TTIP to establish greater regulatory cooperation and support a clearer basis for market access for financial services. In the context of the UK-EU negotiations, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out in his speech at Canary Wharf that the UK is willing to negotiate with the EU on financial services and the parameters of a future relationship building on a range of precedents including the EU’s ambition in TTIP talks.

Credit

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to support, promote and increase the ethical personal lending market as an alternative to high-cost credit providers.

lord bates: The government is committed to delivering a well-functioning and sustainable consumer credit market which is able to meet the needs of all consumers. In March, the government hosted the first meeting of the Financial Inclusion Policy Forum, a new key initiative bringing together government, regulators, industry and the third sector to coordinate action and provide leadership in tackling these challenges. The Forum’s mission is to ensure that individuals, regardless of their background or income, have access to useful and affordable financial products and services, including affordable credit. The government also supports credit unions, which provide an affordable alternative to high-cost credit. In the Autumn Budget 2017, the government announced its intention to help the sector expand by increasing the number of potential members of credit unions from two million to three million. In addition, from this year a greater proportion of funds recovered from illegal money lenders will be allocated to incentivise vulnerable people to join, save, and borrow with a credit union instead of turning to loan sharks.

Trade Barriers

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend toprotect the economy from the effects of any trade war, following the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

lord bates: The UK is a global advocate for free trade and continues to work with global partners and as part of multilateral discussions at the WTO to tackle protectionism and protectionist measures. When the UK leaves the EU, we will play a full part in promoting compliance with the rules-based trading system and, if necessary, make use of the WTO’s dispute resolution procedures in defence of our national interests. As part of preparations for the UK’s exit from the EU, we are also committed to creating a trade remedies framework which is able to react efficiently and effectively to tackle unfair trade where necessary.

Child Tax Credit

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 19 February (HL5370), where they have published the outcome of the application of the Family Test; and if it has not been published, when it will be.

lord bates: The Government is committed to ensuring that the potential impacts on families of all policies are carefully taken into account as part of the policymaking process. The objective of the Family Test is to introduce an explicit family perspective to the policy making process, and ensure that potential impacts on family relationships and functioning are made explicit and recognised in the process of developing new policy.While Family Test assessments are not routinely published by the Government, an impact assessment of Limiting Support to Two Children in Tax Credits/Universal Credit is available on the parliament website.